Red and Blue make Purple

Dinner for Two “A Wrong Feline” - Marichat

~A Wrong Feline~

Adrien checked his watch, greedily gulping down the water bottle he was crushing in his hand.

It had only been two and a half hours and he was already worn out, skipping fencing class those two weeks really didn’t pay off.

He yelped when something flew past him and hit the spot near his foot with frightening ferocity and speed, resulting in a loud, snapping sound to echo in the empty fencing hall.

His instructor’s voice cut through the silence like a blade, “Adrien! I will not tolerate slacking off during practice!”

Adrien turned, hoping he was looking at monsieur Armand with the most sincere puppy look he could muster, “But Monsieur D'Argencourt, I’m still on break.”

The middle-aged man frowned, staring down at Adrien’s face and sighed, pulling the headgear over his face, “Three more minutes and we will continue,” with that, he walked to the middle of the salle and started practicing his movements.

Adrien sighed in relief, quickly answering Nino’s texts.

“Hey Nino, sorry for getting back so late, I’m still on practice.”

After only seconds, Nino replied back.

Nino: “Hey dude, no worries. You still go to fencing? Damn, you must be really good after all that time! I got a gig tonight at that one club ‘DJWifi’, Alya’s gonna come too. I wanted to check if you can come at around 9pm.”

Adrien pondered the invitation, mentally going through his plan for today, “Let’s see, fencing practice ends at 3pm. At 3.30pm I have a photoshoot with Chloe and Theo, then at 6pm it’s dinner with father. Work at the restaurant will be till 10pm, but I can convince Pierre to let me go early.”

He glanced back down at his phone, biting his lip before quickly writing a reply under the expectant gaze of his teacher watching him.

“Sounds great! Yeah, I can come no problem!”

Adrien beamed, quickly throwing his phone into his bag before jogging up to stand in front of his teacher, pulling down the protective headgear and assuming stance.

“You seem quite chipper today, Adrien.” His instructor remarked with a curious tone, tilting his head.

Adrien chuckled, “I guess, I’m going out with some friends tonight.”

Something softened in Armand’s tone, “I see, be sure to enjoy yourself then. For now…”

His actions however, remained sharp and powerful as ever as he initiated attack, “En garde!”

Adrien dodged, narrowly avoiding the rounded tip of the blade before parrying with his own, initiating attack after attack, sidestepping another attack and immediately following it up with one of his own, managing to hit Armand on the bicep.

Armand assumed position again, nodding his head, “Attack, parry, riposte, counterattack. Well done, Adrien.” Adrien smiled behind the mask, also getting into position.

“En garde!”

Adrien pounced.

Nino grinned like a fool, quickly sending a text back to his best friend when Alya set a steaming cup of coffee down on the table.

He looked up at her and squeezed her free hand appreciatively, “Thanks babe, I really need a refill.” He set his phone down after sending the text, blowing softly on the steaming concoction.

Alya settled herself on the chair beside her boyfriend, watching the bright smile on his face with an amused smile of her own, “What’s gotten you so happy Nino?”

The young DJ grinned like a ray of sunshine at his girlfriend, who laughed at the expression, “Adrien just texted me back! He said he will come to our gig tonight!” Nino fist pumped the air excitedly like a child, almost spilling the hot coffee over himself, Alya laughing with her hands covering her mouth.

“Your gig, DJ. I just promote your work, you know?” she waggled her finger, taking a sip of her own coffee.

Nino shook his head, reaching across the table to grab her free hand and squeeze gently, “Nah, I wouldn’t be half as known if it weren’t for your amazing blog and you know it.” He smiled boyishly, causing Alya’s heart to beat faster, “Besides, your singing talent is amazing, you should really consider stepping up tonight!”

Nino laughed at the blush coloring Alya’s cheeks when he leaned forward to peck her lovingly, Alya taking advantage and pulling him forward by the collar of his shirt abruptly.

Nino clambered forward unsteadily and they both broke apart when Nino hissed and yelped sharply.

“Ow! Ow! Ow! Hot! Hot!”

“Oh my god, Nino I’m so sorry!”

“So, you said you were a professor, right? You mentioned teaching uh…” Marinette stuck her bottom lip out, scratching her cheek thoughtfully, “Uh, actually as far as I remember you didn’t mention what subject you teach, I had to run for work.” She giggled nervously, feeling embarrassed at having stood him up so abruptly.

The man visibly stiffened beside her, clearing his throat as he adjusted the bag slung over his shoulder, “Uh, subject, right, I didn’t mention anything did I, huh?”

“Damn, she mistook me for someone else! But she’s gorgeous I can’t let such an opportunity pass! Whatever, if that guy she thinks I am didn’t say anything, I have free reign,” the dark-haired male smiled charmingly, giving her a side glance, “Ah, I teach art psychology or more commonly, art therapy.” He grinned, adjusting the loose collar of his shirt.

Marinette beamed up at him brightly, her bluebell eyes filled with awe, it reminded him of a kid on Christmas, “Really? Wow! That’s amazing! Um, I don’t know if you know a professor named Nathaniel Kurtzberg? He’s also an art professor here, he teaches art history and modern art. I think he also knows a thing or two about art therapy.”

Erik rubbed his chin, the name ringing a distant bell in his head, “Hm…Kurtzberg…wait, short lanky guy with red hair?” he motioned with his hand to under Marinette’s own height, along with a teasing sneer.

Marinette’s nose flared, “Hey! Nathaniel is taller than me, he’s just a bit shorter than you!” she rose an eyebrow, mildly surprised from Chat’s sudden jerkiness.

“He didn’t seem like that on our meetings, was this an act for being in public?” she shook her head, slightly peeved at the poke at her dear friend.

Erik quickly raised his hands up in defense, “Ah, right, sorry, sorry. Yeah, I uh, I saw him a few times. He usually keeps to himself as far as I know, his desk at the lounge is always full but organized.” His eye twitched, muttering under his breath, “Tch, apparently cleanliness attracts the ladies.”

Marinette tilted her head, “What was that?”

Erik backpedaled hastily, “I said we should order coffee! At the café!” he grinned, “By the way, what do you work as?” she looked young, but not young enough not to be a professor herself.

Marinette’s lips formed into a line, “I told you kitty, I have my own design and art studio near the restaurant.”

Erik blanched, “Oh damn, she’s recalling conversations she had with that other guy. What do I do? Apparently, they meet regularly in that restaurant, but how can they talk if she never saw him? And why does she keep calling me kitty?” Erik exhaled, his mind racing for ideas.

He bowed his head slightly in her direction, offering a boyish smile he commonly used on the ladies, “Right! Right! Of course! Apawlogies little lady, I seemed to have furrgot!” he laughed nervously, swallowing the dryness in his throat, “You see, I have so many exams to correct, the whole week has been really stressful for me.”

Marinette’s expression softened and her earlier irritation quickly faded. The poor man, here she was getting upset at him forgetting things when he must be so busy with being a professor, she knew students had it hard, it must be even worse for professors.

She knew Nathaniel often stayed up late to either correct exams, write new ones or prepare for his lectures and research study materials he would use, which took up a lot of time to find viable sources on the internet or in the library.

She rested her hand on his forearm, a redness covering her cheeks at feeling the firm muscle there, “Mind out of the gutter Marinete!” she cleared her throat, smiling up at him, “I’m sorry, I haven’t thought of how stressful your job can be. Especially since you also have the other one in the restaurant,” Marinette quickly clammed up, covering her mouth, her voice turning into a low whisper, “Oh, sorry, I probably shouldn’t say that out loud.”

Erik’s eyebrow shot up to his hairline, his hands began to sweat, “What? What? Other job? At the restaurant? Was it the same one they meet at? Just what sort of guy is he?! Does he work as a chef there? Butler? But then she would see him! Ugh! And why is she afraid of saying it out loud? Is it a secret?”

For a full five seconds, Erik contemplated if getting involved with the odd woman was worth getting tangled up in her mystery connection with the highly mysterious other guy, but the decision was made when they entered the café.

He opened the door for her and she shot him a smile so bright, for a second, he thought it would blind him.

When he walked in after her and she ascended the small two steps, his eyes were glued to her hips and butt.

“Oh, that’s definitely a keeper,”

Marinette turned her head, “Hm?”

He placed a hand around her shoulders and directed her towards the cash register, “I said we should order macarons!”

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